Firefighter Record
Firefighter Details
| Name | Charles Case |
| Agency | Chicago Fire Department |
| Rank | Captain |
| Type of Firefighter | Career |
| Age Range | [Unknown] |
| Sex | Male |
| Date of Birth | 0/0/0 |
| Date of Death | 4/18/1902 |
| Cause of Death | Thrown from vehicle |
| Nature of Death | Trauma |
| Attribute of Death | [not applicable] |
| Type of Duty | Responding to/returning from incident |
Incident Details
| Incident Name | N/A |
| Incident City | Chicago |
| Incident State | IL |
| Incident Date | 4/18/1902 |
| Incident Location | Street/Road |
| Incident Attribute | Traffic accidents |
Incident Summary
On April 18, 1902, Captain Charles Case of Engine Company No. 20 of the Chicago Fire Department died from being thrown from the seat of his hose wagon while responding to an alarm from station 544.
When the fire alarm sounded from station 544, Engine Company No.20’s Driver was unavailable. Captain Case took the reins himself and guided the truck into Clybourn Place out of Paulina Street. Shortly after taking the reins, the wheels of the vehicle struck the curved tracks leading into the car barns of the Union Traction company. The wagon rolled, throwing Captain Case from the vehicle.
Captain Case served with the Department for twenty-one years. He was awarded the Lambert Tree medal in 1888 after rescuing a family from a burning house. He was survived by a widow and two sons, Walter and Charles.
Citation
”Fire Captain is Killed,” Chicago Daily Tribune, April 19, 1902.
Firefighter and Incident Images
